Now And Then
by goldenshadows
Summary: Harry asks questions about his parents past, and this leads to a James and Lily story told through those who knew them best.
1. Chapter 1

Yes, I admit it. I'm a 21 year old who likes Harry Potter. I think J K Rowling is a fantastic Author and her books are not just for kids as some people i know have said to me. Now that's out of the way, you can get on with reading - if you want to. Please be nice and review and if you hate it, say something that will help me improve - don't flame. I know this has probably been done a thousand times before, but I love James and Lily fics and thought I'd try to write one. Hopefully it will have a few different twists in it then others - and ideas are always welcomed. This is set at the very beginning of book five, right after the meeting Harry has with the order of the phoenix.

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Now and Then

Chapter One

Harry lay awake in the shadows, lost deep in thought. Why was he so angry suddenly? Of course a lot had happened to him. Cedrics death, his latest fight with voldemort, the fact he was always, always kept in the dark. That alone could make anyone crazy.

He took it out on his friends because they hadn't been in contact with him all summer, even though they had given perfectly valid explanations. He was only really behaving like this around them because of the reasons he had thought of before - and he knew they knew that. That's why Ron and Hermione were his closest friends, why he told them everything. He knew they'd give him all the time in the world.

In fact, the only person Harry could talk to about any of this was Sirius, and of course, there had been little if no time at all for them to speak alone ever since he had arrived in Grimmauld place - his godfathers home.

An older memory was stirred at the mention of Sirius. A flash of green light. A woman's scream. A mans voice - "Run! Take Harry and run!" His parents last moments. His only memory of them. They had been saving his life from Voldemort - who had ultimately killed them. This was the source of his anger he knew. He was angry that he had never known James and Lily Potter. So obviously highly respected and loved by all who had known them, and all he remembered were their screams.

He sat up abruptly. He knew what he needed to ask now. What he needed to know. As much about his parents as he could. The hurt and anger may never fully go away he knew, but maybe he could actually get through this year without having a nervous break down if he had clearer images in his head.

I deserve to know, he thought as he got up and made his way through the candlelit corridors downstairs. I don't care what they say to me, I have a right to know. He was only fifteen years old. He didn't deserve to be feeling like this.

He stood outside a room for a moment, hardly daring to breath.

"I can't believe you said all that to him Sirius," that was Molly Weasley, still going on about the previous meeting.

"He has a right to know," said Sirius angrily. "His not a child ".

"I know that," the other woman whispered fiercely. "But his been through so much…"

"Which should prove to all of you that he can handle whatever anyone throws at him," said Sirius proudly. "His smart and resourceful when he puts his mind to it. We should be giving him a chance Molly".

"Calm down you two," said Arthur tiredly. "I have a headache. If I hear anymore bickering, I'd start to think it was you two who were married!"

"That's not funny Arthur," snapped Molly.

There was a laugh then, and Harry recognised Mad Eye Moody. "Sure it's Funny Molly," he said "This is the most fun I've had in ages. It won't last, trust me. Enjoy these times while we've got them".

"Listening to all of you, you'd think we were already defeated," said Remus softly.

"Not just yet," said Albus Dumbledore, who had turned up after they had gone up to bed. "There is still hope for us while we work together".

"Why don't you come in here, boy," said Moody, startling Harry. "You think I don't know you're out there?"

Harry hesitantly took a step into the room. It was lit with a fire. Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus and Mr and Mrs Weasley sat in various locations around the fire, sipping tea and coffee - except Sirius, who held a can of beer in his hand.

"Harry you should be upstairs," said Molly anxiously. "Is everything alright?"

Harry didn't know what to say. He had wanted to talk to Sirius, but not in front of practically the whole Order of the Phoenix! "I …I couldn't sleep," he finally managed. "I've been having nightmares…."

His voice trailed off and he looked around the room. This was a big mistake. Very big. He could feel the pity rolling off of Mrs Weasley in waves and it made him all the more angry….

"I need to know about my parents," he blurted out suddenly. "What they were like, what they went through. Even how they got together. I have a right to know this," he finished hastily as Molly opened her mouth to speak.

"Of course you do Harry," said Dumbledore before she had a chance. He smiled slightly as he looked at Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, the only two members left of the Marauders gang. "It's one of the few things you definitely should know about. But I'm not sure I'm the best one to tell this story. I'll help out where I can of course…why don't you sit down? ..." Dumbledore waved his wand and an extra chair appeared beside Sirius.

"Well," said Sirius after a short silence. "I guess it all really started at the beginning of our seventh year…."

TBC

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	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter Two

James sat in one of the carriages on board the Hogwarts Express, eyes narrowed darkly. The weather perfectly matched his mood, rain lashing viciously against the glass, the sky grey as far as the eye could see.

"I hate her. I hate her. Guess what…"

"You hate her?" suggested Sirius calmly.

"Hell yes," James snapped back. "More then anything in the world. I mean, this year was supposed to be a great year for me. THE year, you know? But then she had to go and ruin it!"

Sirius shared a look with Lupin, who sat opposite them. "Don't kill me for pointing out that it wasn't exactly her fault James," said Lupin as he turned another page of the Daily Prophet. Both he and Sirius were used to James's little outbursts - ok, so they weren't that little!

"What's wrong mate?" asked Sirius. "We're used to you going on about Evans. We make her life hell all the time and she does the same to us. It's always been that way, since first year, but lately you've been…"

"Kind of obsessed?" put in Peter Pettigrew, the other member of their little gang.

James took a while to say anything. "Sure I am. She's head girl now. She's just made my job ten times harder then usual. That's why I hate her…more then I did before".

Remus sighed. He knew that Lily and James had always been rivals, as did everyone else. It had started in their fifth year when he had jokingly asked her out - and she'd turned him down. Furious at how she'd humiliated him, James had made it his personal goal to make her as miserable as possible. But ever since learning that they'd been made head boy and head girl, his mood had been worse then ever.

"You realise this means we're going to be working together…a lot? You guys, we're gonna have to come up with …."

"Even worse then what we did last year? That'll be hard to beat!" laughed Sirius. " Remember? With the magic ink all down her dress when she went on that date with Danny on valentines day? And the worms that she almost ate? Oh…and then when we accidentally turned her into pig and she stayed like it for the whole week?"

"Like it was yesterday," sighed James. " Wish I could remember how we did that! We'll just have to think of something…." his voice trailed off. "Anyway," he finished abruptly. "Enough talk about Lily…I mean…Evans. Did you hear who we're up against in Quidditch first this year? It's…"

"Stop trying to change the subject!" they all said at the same time.

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"I can't believe it! I just can't!" said lily. Her carriage was as different from James's as you could get. It was so crowded you could barely see the door leading in. Both sets of seats were packed with students who listened to her every word in awe.

Her closest friends sat by her side. "Lily, it'll be ok," said Astrid, who grinned at Sarah when Lily wasn't looking. Sarah sat on Lily's other side by the window. People were still trying to get in to the carriage, everyone wanted to be around Lily Evans.

"I think Dumbledore's gone crazy myself," Astrid continued as comfortingly as she could.

"Absolutely. I mean, James Potter as head boy? Please," added Sarah.

"Right," nodded Lily. "All he cares about is Quidditch and making people's lives a misery. Remember all that stuff he did to us last year?"

"Do I ever," said Astrid, narrowing her eyes. "I'm never going to forgive any of them in a million years - especially Sirius!"

"You watch," said Lily, stealing some chocolate from someone opposite her. "He can't go more then a second without breaking the rules. This won't last long and then the nightmare will be over!"

The trio continued to talk of anything besides the marauders gang. What they had done that summer, what their plans after school were, anything. Lily laughed and joked with the rest, trying her best to get the image of james out of her mind - which was surprisingly hard to do.

………………………………............................................................................................................................

"So they didn't get off to the best start then?" asked Harry.

The adults in the room smiled at each other. "Something like that," said Dumbledore kindly.

"Hated each other," laughed Sirius.

"Couldn't stand being in the same room together, let alone anything else," added Remus. "It had always been that way".

The room became quiet again as everyone got lost in their memories of the famous Lily and James feud.

"So?" asked Harry. "What happened next?"

TBC


End file.
